DUCHESS.

You!

QUEX.

[_Snapping his fingers._] By Jove, yes!

DUCHESS.

What are you going to do?

QUEX.

Give her a fair chance, and then spoil her tale against you, in any
event.

DUCHESS.

How?

QUEX.

Trust to me. [_Impatiently._] Go, Duchess.

DUCHESS.

But where? where can I--?

QUEX.

Run away to Mrs. Jack--ask her to let you share her room to-night.
[_Pointing to the writing-table._] Ah--! scribble a message--

[_The_ DUCHESS _seats herself at the writing-table and writes agitatedly
at his dictation._

QUEX.

[_Dictating._] "The Duchess of Strood has been seized with a dreadful
fit of nerves and has gone to Mrs. Eden's room. Come to her there at
eight." Lay that upon the bed. [_Indicating the bedroom._] Is there a
door in there?

DUCHESS.

[_Rising breathlessly._] Yes.

QUEX.

Locked?

DUCHESS.

Yes.

QUEX.

The key. [_Imperatively._] Give me the key. [_She runs into the bedroom
and, having laid the written message upon the bed, disappears for a
moment. He refills his tumbler and drinks, chuckling sardonically as he
does so._] Ha, ha, ha! [_She returns with the key, which he pockets._]
The bell that rings in your maid's room--? [_She points to the bell-rope
hanging beside the passage-door._] Good. [_Motioning to her to go_.]
Now--[_She is going towards the other door; he detains her._] Hist!
[_Thoughtfully._] If anything unusual should occur, remember that we
were simply discussing books and pictures in the Italian garden before
dinner.

DUCHESS.

[_Intently._] Books and pictures--of course. [_In an outburst._] Oh, you
are certain you can save my reputation?

QUEX.

[_Politely._] _Yours_ at least, my dear Duchess. Sleep well.

[_She is about to open the door when a thought strikes her and she again
runs up to the bed._

DUCHESS.

Ah--!

QUEX.

Hey?

[_She returns, carrying her night-dress case--a thing of white satin
with a monogram and coronet embroidered upon it. She holds it up to him
in explanation; he nods, and she lets herself out. He immediately locks
the door at which she has departed and slips the key into his waistcoat
pocket. This done, he pulls the bell-rope communicating with the maid's
room and takes up a position against the wall so that the opening of the
passage door conceals him from the view of the person entering. After a
pause the door is opened and_ SOPHY _appears. The frills of her
night-dress peep out from under the Mandarin's